Caterpillars - best way to kill them??

[kt.]

Just been to my plot and each brassica looks like it has over 30 caterpillars feasting on the produce before I can harvest it.  Never had a year with so many and not really been a problem in previous years but now battle lines are drawn.  What is the best way ti kill them off and prevent others.  I don't mind using bug sprays if anybody can recommend one to save the crop as I do not have the time to sit on every leaf....

[kt.]

[Digeroo]

Squashing is very effective.  But netting seems to be the best solution.

[pumkinlover]

I've been feeding them to the chickens but they do not seem to like cabbage white? (sorry this is of no use to you KT)!

[Amazingrotavator(Derby)]

Brassicas: Annual Humiliation on Edible plants. Worth a read about salt and bicarb.

[planetearth]

Worst year for caterpillars for a long time - I could make a big stew with those I have collected or squashed.  Not only that but an hour a day removing them and their eggs makes them very expensive vegetables.

I am at the point of deciding to abandon my brassicas or spray them - what's the best/safest spray?

[Obelixx]

I have a deal with my garden birds.  I feed them all year round and they come and hoover up the aphids and caterpilars on my roses and veggies to feed to their babies.   I have never sprayed my brassicas and this year haven't netted them either.  The only damage has been from slugs but I've sorted those out with wildlife friendly pellets.

It's clearly too late for this season but I think you need to consider some proper netting for your brassicas next year to keep the butterflies off.

I don't know what spray would be effective but leave your cababges suitable for human consumption.

[GrannieAnnie]

Somebody (I forget who, sorry) recommended spraying with salt water and bicarb of soda. I tried sprinkling with self-rising flour which was supposed to explode the beasties that ate it but this does not work because the rain kept washing it off so I never could tell if any were dying from swelling up. Next yr I'll try the salt solution.

[GrannieAnnie]

Somebody (I forget who, sorry) recommended spraying with salt water and bicarb of soda. I tried sprinkling with self-rising flour which was supposed to explode the beasties that ate it but this does not work because the rain kept washing it off so I never could tell if any were dying from swelling up. Next yr I'll try the salt solution.

[planetearth]

I have tried spraying with salt water, chilli water, garlic water, soapy water and various combinations and found they are all completely ineffective.

It's time to stop girl thingy-footing and depoy the WMD - what has anyone found to be the best insecticide/pesicide?

[ed dibbles]

The dilemma surely is that we don't like the caterpillars on our brassicas. Yet even though the butterflies are very pretty fluttering about there seems to be so many.

Could it be that humans purposely growing their host plant contribute to the increase in their number.

It's either physical barriers or sprays (including the salt/bicarb/ detergent mix) I'm afraid.

[GrannieAnnie]

It's time to stop girl thingy-footing and depoy the WMD -

:toothy10:LOL!

[lottie lou]

It don't help either that our site secretary specialises in breeding buddleias - his whole plot is just about covered in em.  Also many of my neighbours like growing them too.  You should see the butterflies we've got.

[bionear2]

Wilko's ready mixed multi-purpose bug killer deals with caterpillars very quickly. It's only pyrethrum, so nothing too toxic or persistant, and it's cheap.....

[kt.]

Wilko's ready mixed multi-purpose bug killer deals with caterpillars very quickly. It's only pyrethrum, so nothing too toxic or persistant, and it's cheap.....

Wilkos it is.  Off there tomorrow or I'll have no brassicas left.

[telboy]

Wilko's ready mixed multi-purpose bug killer deals with caterpillars very quickly. It's only pyrethrum, so nothing too toxic or persistant, and it's cheap.....

I reckon 'bionear' has found the only readily available spray since the European chemical police have now banned anything really effective.
I bought a litre of the Wilko product on the premise that a pic. of a caterpillar was on the container.
Beware KT, it works only if the caterpillars are SMALL.

[planetearth]

To GrannieAnnie -

"girl thingy footing" means - To act or proceed cautiously or timidly to avoid committing oneself.

Nothing to do with what you suggest.  The Atlantic is only 3,000 miles wide, but your dictionary is only inches away.

[Vinlander]

Why can't you get BT (bacillus thuringensis) powder any more?

It killed a useful range of caterpillars (not all of them) without harming ANYTHING ELSE so what could be safer?

I suspect it was too bloody cheap and too bloody effective for the 'icide companies liking...


Cheers.

[Robert_Brenchley]

You can still get certan, the version for wax moth. I don't know why other types have disappeared.